Graham Roberts, chief executive of the Warrington-based primary care property investor and developer, has sold 2.5m shares at 52.33p a share and donated the proceeds to medical and humanitarian charities.

Roberts’ illness was revealed to the publicly listed group’s shareholders in February. At the start of March, Roberts took leave of absence to receive treatment.

The gifts to charity will be directed through an endowment established with his wife Dianne. The specific charities to benefit have not been named.